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Jim Boissier

Jim Boissier

Jim Boissier

Joined
Feb 23, 2020
Messages
9
Likes
10
Location
Windsor, California
Hello. My name is Jim Boissier. I'm very glad to be here as I've been learning to turn in a vacuum which is difficult. I live about an hour north of San Francisco since retiring 7 years ago. About 6 years ago my Dad gave me a small lathe (Delta 46-250 "Midi") he bought 20 or so years ago as he is no longer able to use it. It sat on my work bench collecting dust until just before last Christmas. Last November my wife got a hole in one playing golf and I thought it would be fun to make here a shadow box containing the ball and her score card. I needed to make a stylized tee to hold the ball and thought maybe the lathe would work for that. After all I had a wooden closet rod I could turn down to the correct shape and the lathe came with some Craftsman chisels. Well I'm here to tell you closet rods make poor turning stock. So ordered some kits and wood from Rockler, some rather soft HSS tools from HF and am now totally hooked (that vortex thing you know). Made some Christmas gifts and am now turning oak from my firewood pile. I think I've, running out of things to make handles for. :) I've yet to make a bowl as I haven't the skills or knowledge or a bowl gouge yet but do have a line on a local club. Oh, and I did finish the shadow box and the tee. I substituted alligator juniper for the closet rod. Thanks for having me and I look forward getting a LOT of questions answered.
 
Jim Boissier said:
Hello. My name is Jim Boissier. I'm very glad to be here as I've been learning to turn in a vacuum which is difficult. I live about an hour north of San Francisco since retiring 7 years ago. About 6 years ago my Dad gave me a small lathe (Delta 46-250 "Midi") he bought 20 or so years ago as he is no longer able to use it. It sat on my work bench collecting dust until just before last Christmas. Last November my wife got a hole in one playing golf and I thought it would be fun to make here a shadow box containing the ball and her score card. I needed to make a stylized tee to hold the ball and thought maybe the lathe would work for that. After all I had a wooden closet rod I could turn down to the correct shape and the lathe came with some Craftsman chisels. Well I'm here to tell you closet rods make poor turning stock. So ordered some kits and wood from Rockler, some rather soft HSS tools from HF and am now totally hooked (that vortex thing you know). Made some Christmas gifts and am now turning oak from my firewood pile. I think I've, running out of things to make handles for. :) I've yet to make a bowl as I haven't the skills or knowledge or a bowl gouge yet but do have a line on a local club. Oh, and I did finish the shadow box and the tee. I substituted alligator juniper for the closet rod. Thanks for having me and I look forward getting a LOT of questions answered.
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Welcome to the forum!
 
Bill Boehme said:
Welcome aboard, Jim and great story about how you fell into the vortex. Next time saw a piece off the end of a mop handle and tell your wife that a shorter mop handle is more ergonomic. :D
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Haha. As much as I like to spend time in my shop I like coming inside the house too. You know...things like food, warm bed and so on.
 
Welcome. Lowe's has various hardwood dowels that could be used for turning. My first turning was with a piece of 2x4 and a Stanley wood chisel. Not a good combination or result.
Congrats on the ace! Jack Nicklaus only had a handful, considering how may holes he played over the years.
 
Thanks for the kind welcomes. John just for the sake of full disclosure it was my wife that got the hole in one. She's a much better golfer than I am. Thanks for the tip on the dowels. I've turned a couple Home depot soaking wet 2x4 studs with a skew. Now my nerves are shot.:eek:
 
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